GTI Visa Targets Engineers

GTI Visa Targets Engineers

The Global Talent Independent (GTI) Program permits professional engineers to work and live permanently in Australia. The purpose is to attract the best and brightest global talent to work for the country's innovation and tech sectors. 

A recognised Australian organisation must nominate GTI applicants. Engineers Australia (EA) has become proactive to enable themselves to become authorised nominators. 

Engineers Australia is a peak engineering body that aims to advance the science and practice of engineering to benefit the Australian community. It is recognised worldwide as a leading engineering association that facilitates its members to work and live in more than 120 countries. The association is accredited to nominate highly skilled engineering professionals under the GTI program. 

To be eligible to apply for GTI, Subclass 858, the applicant must be: 

• Provide proof of international recognition, with documents and information backing up outstanding achievements
• Prominent in your industry of expertise
• Give evidence you would be an asset to Australia within your field of expertise 
• Have a recognised organisation (like Engineers Australia) in the same industry as you to endorse you as a global talent 

On top of fulfilling requirements and providing proof of their excellence, Engineers Australia may nominate engineers in the target sectors identified by the Department of Home Affairs: 

1. Resources: mining, petroleum, chemical, and plant engineers
2. Agri-food and AgTech: agricultural and materials engineers
3. Energy: electrical and geotechnical engineers
4. Health industries: biomedical engineer and its specialisations
5. Defence, Advanced Manufacturing and Space: aeronautical engineer and its specialisations, naval architect, electronics, transport, production, and mechanical engineers
6. Circular Economy: industrial engineer 
7. DigiTech: telecommunications and telecommunications network engineers 
8. Infrastructure and Tourism: civil and structural engineers 
9. Financial Services and FinTech: electronics and telecommunications network engineers 
10. Education: electronics, biomedical, telecommunications network, and agricultural engineers

For Employers, the GTI program can be a compelling alternative to the various employer sponsored visas, such as TSS (Subclass 482), Skilled Regionals (SESR Subclass 494), or the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS). In 2021/22, the Department has allocated 15,000 places for this visa program. The Department is scouring the globe for the highly talented and have a dedicated task force appointed, called The Global Business and Talent Attraction Task Force.

The GTI has many advantages, including:

• Its one of the top prioritised visas, so visa processing is extremely fast, and 
• because it's a permanent visa, it avoids the requirement for inbound travel exemptions;
• It's not an employer-sponsored visa but does require a nominator, which can be an employer organisation or an individual;
• GTI has an upper age limit of 55, allowing for the fact that to become globally recognised takes a year of experience (Most PR visas have an upper limit of 45 or 50);
• There is no limit to a specific ANZSCO occupation like other skilled visas;
• Once approved, the visa holder can work for any employer, in any occupation;
• Generally, the salary is at or above the high-income salary threshold (FWHIT), currently set at $158,500 

Contact us for more details if you have a position you believe can be filled by a globally recognised candidate.

Konnecting can assist in the relevant visa processing, and our recruitment division Engineering Personnel can assist in identifying these global candidates.